Hi PPSE buddies,
I would love to share with you how the varied experiences in my teaching profession changed the context of my teaching.
It all began in 1998 when I felt very deeply about the children I met at Ashankura BEL Special School. It was a chance encounter as I had no idea I was to meet and work with them. That was the turning point in my life, wherein I joined special education.
I worked as a special educator in two different schools with varied cultural and economic backgrounds.
Here’s where I learnt the importance of context in relation to content. The planning of curriculum to these students had to be done very carefully taking into consideration the age, abilities and their needs. This helped me to closely monitor the process of learning and its outcome.
For example my students in Kingstree Senior High School were in the age group of 18 years and above, here I had to have a curriculum which comprised of academics and work based learning programs going hand in hand. As the students were graduating they had to have the experiences relating to work to earn their livelihood along with academics. Here I am expressing the context in a larger frame.
Again in Aditi the context is entirely different. As students whom I am dealing with are preparing more in academics wherein they are facing challenges and need intervention.
Again keeping in mind their necessities I am planning my teaching accordingly.
I am certain that I will be learning more in adapting my teaching practices contextually as
the years go by.
Rehana Nasser
I would love to share with you how the varied experiences in my teaching profession changed the context of my teaching.
It all began in 1998 when I felt very deeply about the children I met at Ashankura BEL Special School. It was a chance encounter as I had no idea I was to meet and work with them. That was the turning point in my life, wherein I joined special education.
I worked as a special educator in two different schools with varied cultural and economic backgrounds.
Here’s where I learnt the importance of context in relation to content. The planning of curriculum to these students had to be done very carefully taking into consideration the age, abilities and their needs. This helped me to closely monitor the process of learning and its outcome.
For example my students in Kingstree Senior High School were in the age group of 18 years and above, here I had to have a curriculum which comprised of academics and work based learning programs going hand in hand. As the students were graduating they had to have the experiences relating to work to earn their livelihood along with academics. Here I am expressing the context in a larger frame.
Again in Aditi the context is entirely different. As students whom I am dealing with are preparing more in academics wherein they are facing challenges and need intervention.
Again keeping in mind their necessities I am planning my teaching accordingly.
I am certain that I will be learning more in adapting my teaching practices contextually as
the years go by.
Rehana Nasser
Rehana. I learnt so much more about your context from your post! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI think when you teach special needs kids you teach the way all of us should. You do teach smaller groups so tht individualised instruction is the norm, but if we look at practices adopted for special needs contexts, they are usually sound practices.
To think of authentic / work based learning is also esential.
Tara
Rehana,
ReplyDeleteI have not ever been in a position like yours. I wonder if generally less endowed and poor children are more willing to learn than rich, amply cushioned ones. There is one kind who learn more for the certificates/degrees; and there are those who learn more to make life meaningful.
Am I reading too much into the situation?
Well Shibuda, I am not sure if we can categorise learners into two neat groups such as this. A lot depends on the kinds of learning environments that are created for them.
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